”I Got Your Money” was born out of a melody singer-songwriter Thomson Andrews started humming on a train journey in Mumbai. Poster: Courtesy of the artist

Mumbai-based singer-songwriter Thomson Andrews is on the right course to spreading funk music to Indian audiences with his latest single “I Got Your Money.” And it’s been a long course, too: Andrews recalls, “I started writing the song three years ago.” He explains that the reason it took so long is because the song needed to be re-recorded when the original files were accidentally deleted.

”I Got Your Money” was born out of a melody Andrews started humming on a train journey in Mumbai. He says, “It got stuck in my mind as the tune is super catchy.” Andrews then built the track around the funky chorus, “I got your money/ You love my money/ You wanna be honey/ Come get my money.” The verses developed from Andrews’ idea to create a story around a person’s positive breakup. “In the end the guy walks out of the dishonest relationship as a winner,” he explains.

The song is inspired by the likes of funk artists Mark Ronson, Bruno Mars and funk legend James Brown–featuring a stand-out bass line courtesy of prodigious bassist Mohini Dey. Andrews’ laidback vocals serve as the perfect complement to the track’s groovy instrumentals.

The track was recorded at various studios around Mumbai with the help of Mumbai-based sound engineer Chester Misquitta and producer Candy D’Souza. In addition to Dey, a host of musicians are featured on the song: Lindsay D’Mello on drums, Nyzel D’Mila on guitar, and Prem Sodha on trumpet and saxophone. The final mix and mastering was done at Mumbai’s Headroom Studio by Abhishek Ghatak.

In a stroke of luck, Andrews managed to shoot the song’s accompanying music video at Hollywood in Los Angeles, California. While Andrews was catching up with Hollywood-based director Stephen Shadrach over coffee in Los Angeles, who previously worked with Andrews’ Mumbai funk band Spunqx on the music video for their song “Drink Up,” Shadrach proposed the idea of shooting a video for “I Got Your Money” in Hollywood.

We shot the music video in one day,” says Andrews. The video was shot at prime locations in Los Angeles such as Hollywood Hills, Hollywood Boulevard, Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, Santa Monica Pier and Santa Monica Beach late last year. “The casting for the video was all taken care of by Stephen,” says Andrews. “The costumes were styled by Los Angeles-based fashion house La Maison De Fashion who have styled Jason Derulo, Nicki Minaj and Lady Gaga among others.”

Thomson even managed to borrow a BMW for the shoot. “I kept saying my prayers and wondering how is all this happening to a guy from Malad,” Andrews jokes. The pop singer was also taken aback at how helpful people were towards an independent artist from Mumbai. “Everyone kept saying we want to support you.”

On his future plans, Andrews wants to keep releasing singles both on his own and with his funk band Spunqx. “Nowadays when you put a record out, people only want to listen to the songs they like on it,” he says. “With singles it is easier to connect with people.”

Watch the music video for “I Got Your Money” here. Listen to the song below.